Immediately following, please find a summary of new guidelines from Metropolitan TIKHON to be used while the US is dealing with the COVID-19 public health episode. 
 
Metropolitan TIKHON states in his guidelines that for the next 2 weeks of March, parishioners should remain at home.  This is temporary measure.   While Metropolitan TIKHON is encouraging all our faithful to remain at home, he will not forbid parishioners from coming to Church.
 
The goal is not to eliminate the Divine Services, but to strictly limit the number of people serving them, and advocating that only the priest, deacon, choir leader and small choir, and 1-2 servers perform the services, as long as they are healthy and of low risk.  Regarding assembly of people, our state and local governments are attempting to restrict large groupings of people to reduce the rate of transmission of this virus. Our Metropolitan has stated that “Out of love for our neighbor, we must do everything we can to protect the vulnerable by slowing the rate of infection - not only in our parishes, but in the greater community”.
 
The decision to stay at home or come to church is an individual and personal one.  Of course, those at higher risk, especially older adults (those over the age of 60) and/or those with serious chronic conditions (diabetes, heart disease, lung disease), should not hesitate to stay home. This is an absence “for honorable reasons”.  Those any who are actively sick or exhibiting signs of illness, or had close contact with someone who is sick, should absolutely absent themselves from the services.
 
The guidelines from Metropolitan TIKHON are for all services to be cancelled except for:
- Sunday Liturgies of St. Basil the Great
- The Vesperal Liturgy of the Great Feast of Annunciation (Wed, March 25th), and 
- Pre-sanctified Liturgies during Great Lent.
 
Specifically, based on these guidelines, the schedule for the next 2 weeks: 
 
St. George will go forward with Pre-Sanctified Liturgy with Holy Ghost this Wednesday, March 18th, 6PM at St. George Church.  
 
Additionally later this week, Divine Liturgy will be held at St. George Church (next Sunday, March 22nd) at 10AM.   Again, Holy Ghost will join St. George.
 
Church School is suspended for the rest of March per instructions of Metropolitan TIKHON. 
 
Additionally all Fellowship hours, coffee hours, potluck suppers are cancelled during this outbreak.
 
The Saturday night Vespers scheduled for March 21st @ St George are cancelled.
 
On Wednesday, March 25th @ 6PM, the Vesperal Liturgy for Annunciation is scheduled to be held @ Holy Ghost.
 
Finally, Divine Liturgy will be at St. George on Sunday, March 29th.  
 
Again, thank you for your patience and compliance.  These guidelines are temporary, however the COVID-19 pandemic is a constant changing situation.  We will continue to communicate any changes as promptly as possible. 
 
Please feel free to call Fr. Sergei if you have questions or concerns: (203) 331–2251 (Mobile) or (203) 713-6007 (Home).